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index-January-2007-1.html English News Blog for  Chile News Blog January Archive 

5 Internal Tax Officers to be charged with corruption

By Shannon at 01/25/07 01:26

The State Defense Council alleges the 5 offficers offered expedites refund services to more than 10 major companies in exchage for kickbacks. Lan Airlines was one of the companies and it's legal consultants were the first to notify the SII of the irregularity.

Original source: Santiago Times. CHILE’S INTERNAL REVENUE OFFICE UNDER CORRUPTION INVESTIGATION.

Gonzalez expected long five-set match

Rafael Nadal is the world’s second-ranked player, but Fernando Gonzalez served up some blistering tennis at the Austrailian open beating Nadal in straight sets. The 6-2, 6-4, 6-3, victory took just over two hours.

Original source: Santiago Times. CHILE’S GONZÁLEZ STEAMROLLS NADAL IN TENNIS

Protesters burn city bus

Two protesters boarded a bus, forced the driver and passengers off and then torched the bus. They told the driver they were protesting Plan Transantiago, the plan which proposes drastic changes to the city's public transportation system. The plan could even affect the timing of classes in the city schools.

Original source: Santiago Times. CHILE BUS BURNING: TRANSANTIAGO HEATS UP AS INAUGURATION NEARS

Sebastian Pinera to face Securities charges

Pinera, the losing candidate in last year's presidential election, is going to be charged with insider trading. His lawyer says the charges may have been politically influenced. The Securities superintendant denies that accusation.

Original source: Bloomberg. Chile Says Ex-Presidential Candidate Faces Securities Charges

Conservationists go for the throat

According to the government, air conditioning accounts dfor as much as 60% of workplasce energy consumption. So to cut down on that, the Commission for Energy Efficiency is recommending that Chilean workers leave the jackets and ties at home. A similar initiative in Japan in 2005 resulted in considerable reduction of power consumption and of CO2 emissions.

Original source: yahoo news. [404 Check: was link to http:/ / news. yahoo. com/ s/ ap/ 20070118/ ap_ on_ re_ la_ am_ ca/ chile_ no_ necktie_ 1, anchor: Chile: Loosen necktie, conserve energy ]

Face of Santiago is changing rapidly

Longtime residents of Santiago are dismayed and alarmed that the rapid transformation of what were once quiet leafy suburbs. The business district has been dubbed "Sanhattan" because of the proliferation of skyscrapers that casue it to resemble Manhattan. Now the suburbs are sprouting huge residential tower blocs and the whole face of the city is changing.

Original source: Reuters. [404 Check: was link to http:/ / today. reuters. com/ news/ articlenews. aspx?type=inDepthNews&storyid=2007 -01 -22T123843Z_ 01_ N12246503_ RTRUKOC_ 0_ US -CHILE -HOUSING. xml&src=rss&rpc=81, anchor: Tower blocks change face of Chile's "Sanhattan"]

Michelle Bachelet wins Presidential Elelction

Chile's 4th election since it's return to democracy had a clear winner in less than 3 hours after the polls closed. A single mother and a doctor in what the most socially conservative country in South America, Ms Bachelet is also Chile's first woman president. Outgoing President Ricardo Lagos hailed the election of Chile's first woman leader as a "historic triumph".

Original source: BBC News. Chile gets first woman president

Crime prevention strategy being developed as result of study

The Interior Ministry released crime figures last December that showed that street crime in general is on the rise in Santiago and the Chilean District Attorneys office conducted a study of crime patterns. Theis study will be iused a a tool for the police to create a strategies to prevent crime. A young Chilean boy was kidnapped recently, and though this is a rare crime compared to other South AMerican countries it focused pressure on the govt and the police to do something about the rising crime rates. The study analyzes which types of crimes are most common in which areas and at which tmes of the day, which could be very helpful information for prevention and enforcement.

Original source: The Santiago Times. STUDY REVEALS CRIME “HOTSPOTS” IN EASTERN SANTIAGO

Human Rights investigation brings indictment

Chilean Judge Juan Guzman's investigation into Human Rights abuses during former Gen. Agustin Pinochet's 17 year rule resulted in an indictment handed down on Dec 13th. The 89 year-old former leader was also declared fit to stand trial and is currently under house arrest.

Original source: PBS. Pinochet indicted on Human Rights Abuses

Bad politics, good business?

The basis for the much-touted "success" of Chile's economy can be summed up as: naked repression allowed bosses in Chile to boost their profits by brutally driving down workers' living standards through high unemployment, low wages, jacked-up prices, and regimented labor.

Original source: The Militant. How capitalists used Pinochet dictatorship in Chile to boost profits